Okinawa marks 78th anniv. of end of WWII battle amid regional tension

Okinawa on Friday marked the 78th anniversary of the end of a fierce World War II ground battle between Japanese and U.S. troops, with concern growing among local people that the island prefecture could become the front line of conflict amid rising tensions with China.Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki called for "peaceful diplomacy and dialogue" to ease regional tensions during a commemoration service at a memorial park in Itoman, the site of the final stage of the Battle of Okinawa, which killed a quarter of the local civilian population."People in the prefecture are greatly concerned" with the cu…READ FULL ARTICLE